Calculating Costs ….and More Costs

Much of the difficulty surrounding consolidation efforts stems from the fact that cost/benefit analyses differ wildly depending on where one lives in a district, particularly one as geographically large as RSU 50. It should come as no surprise that the math is night and day between sending and receiving schools.

“All children matter equally”?

Cost savings figures touted by the Superintendent and others are determined by a State formula that considers transportation alone as the ONLY negative cost savings.

There are others, to which the AMES Associates REPORT attests. Click HERE for a brief synopsis of needs.

The public is entitled to independent evidence that children are protected from mold and by working sprinkler systems.

When the decision to close Katahdin goes to voters, the State sanctioned “savings” figure will appear on the ballot. A vote to keep Katahdin open will levy that amount of money on Katahdin’s communities IN ADDITION to their contribution under the cost sharing formula. That extra money will not stay at Katahdin but will be spread around the District at Board discretion, and Board priorities.

Add to that the cost to families who must transport children long distances to participate in extracurricular activities and likely the cost to decommission Katahdin’s abandoned building.

Yes, the Board has publicly expressed a desire to turn the building AND ITS COSTS back to Katahdin’s communities alone.

The RSU likes to tout Spruce Mountain ad nauseum…. Fine. Those communities contribute a sum of approximately $44,000 each to keep the “sending school” open for Adult Ed and other community functions. The RSU has NEVER expressed a willingness to do this but has spoken of dumping it on the original MSAD 25 towns.

Katahdin voters will see that “savings” figure often repeated by the Superintendent, unaware of the costs that consume it many times over.

For school closure procedures click here.

For those communities seeking to regain control over their money via RSU withdrawal? Maybe looking to tuition their children back in?

The RSU cannot charge $20,000 per child but must abide by State guidelines. …though apparently not ethical ones that would preclude lying to people one is hired to serve.

Such abominable behavior goes right to credibility.

The RSU claims elementary children will be spared long bus rides and will keep their school. ..as enrollment continued to decline and the same pressure to consolidate mounts on those little shoulders?

If you believe them…